Drowning is a short game about a teenage boy struggling with depression.  The demo lasts about 15 minutes, and the entire time is spent walking along a path in the forest while text appears.  I know the term “walking simulator” can be overused, but there are few games that really illustrate the nickname better than this one.  And it wouldn’t be so bad if the walking speed wasn’t so slow and if the story was more interesting.

I know I’m already being rather harsh with a game I haven’t even completed.  I’m just of the opinion that, if you’re going to make a game so heavy on story, you need to do something to elevate the experience and justify why you chose to get this story across through a video game rather than mere text.  Take What Remains of Edith Finch, for example, a game about an unlucky family where everyone has died a tragic death, aside from one member of every generation.  I would not classify this game as a walking simulator even if it’s not a traditional video game because every family member has a unique segment of the game dedicated to them with unique gameplay to illustrate their untimely demise.  It’s all done in such a brilliant way that makes the game extremely memorable, in a way a written story would not have been.

Drowning does not appear to do that.  Not only was the story uninteresting (15 minutes should have been enough time to pique my interest), but having text appear at intervals along my path is not a compelling way to tell a story when you have the dynamic medium of video games to work with.  And it’s not because I’m a stranger to depression.  No, I have most certainly struggled with these feelings during my lifetime, and yet I still didn’t find this game to be very relatable.

If you’re so inclined to give this game a try, Drowning is only $2.99 and is available on PC and all modern consoles.  While the main experience takes 30-45 minutes to complete, you might get more out of it due to multiple endings.  But if you’re looking for a good narrative-driven game, I’d much sooner recommend the aforementioned Edith Finch.  And while we’re at it, below are a few other games you might find interesting:

• Gris is an excellent platformer that does a wonderful job tackling the subject of grief, but also incorporates gameplay elements far better.
• The First Tree is about a fox searching for her lost cubs, which also tells the story of a man along the way who wishes he had a better relationship with his father.  It’s not exactly a great game, and yet it did make me cry my eyes out by the end, so it certainly managed to strike a chord.
• Fractured Minds was made by one teenage girl and illustrates what it’s like to live with anxiety.